Light Unbaked Strawberry Cheesecake/Greek Yogurt Mousse with Strawberries

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Light Unbaked Strawberry Cheesecake in a Glass

Light, quick, easy and refreshing. I don’t know what are your preferences, but this is the description of my ideal spring or summer dessert and unbaked cheesecake meets all these conditions. Some of you might remember that my unbaked cheesecakes are made with fresh cheese (also called “quark”) and not the most popular cream cheese (see the Unbaked Vanilla Cheesecake here). They are low in fat, have a slight, refreshing tanginess I like and have a light consistency, comparable to Greek yogurt, which is a very good substitution here (much better than US cream cheese). Since I don’t like the crust in cheesecakes, I always omit it, which makes such a dessert even lighter and quicker to prepare.

Unbaked cheesecakes are  in my opinion an excellent basis to experiment with different fruits without losing their precious vitamins, nutrients and delicate aroma. If you decide to try fresh cheese, its slight tartness goes particularly well with red fruits such as strawberries. I realised it a couple of days ago when I decided to make my first strawberry dessert this year. Not only was it, quick, easy and practical (it requires only four ingredients), but most of all it enhanced and preserved all of the the strawberry flavours and its enticing aroma.

TIPS & UPDATE: If you don’t find fresh cheese (quark) the best option would be to use the Greek yogurt. If you are a cream cheese fan, this dessert can of course be prepared with cream cheese too, but the consistency will probably be less mousse-like and the taste different (I admit I haven’t made or tasted such a version).

The amounts of gelatin depend sometimes on the brand. Leaves are sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller,   powdered gelatin sometimes contains other products and doesn’t set as well as pure gelatin in powder… In short, the aim here is to use here the amount of gelatin which sets 500 ml/2 cups/about 17 oz liquid.

Preparation: 15 minutes + 2 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 3-4): 

300 g  (about 10 oz) fresh cheese/quark or Greek yogurt (or cream cheese if you don’t find quark or Greek yogurt)

1 tablespoon gelatin (or gelatin leaves, the amount necessary to set 500 ml liquid, see TIPS above)

200 g (about 7 oz) strawberries

4 flat tablespoons confectioner’s sugar or sweetener of your choice

Put aside 4-5 strawberries for the decoration.

Dissolve the gelatin in 4 tablespoons warm water. (If using leaves, proceed as indicated on the package).

Mix the cheese, the sugar and half of the strawberries in a food processor.

Add the dissolved gelatin and mix once more.

Cut up the remaining strawberries in quarters (do not use those for the decoration!) and place them in individual glasses.

Pour the cheese mixture over the strawberries and put into the fridge for at least two hours.

Decorate just before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Sissi

64 Replies to “Light Unbaked Strawberry Cheesecake/Greek Yogurt Mousse with Strawberries”

  1. What a refreshing and beautiful dessert! I have not worked with gelatin sheets before… I need to find them.

  3. Hi Sissi! The cheese cake in a glass looks like something I would order in a fancy restaurant! Is it strawberry season at your are? Ours have passed already, since Texas tend to turn warm way before other areas in the world. We normally would go pick strawberries in a farm not too far from the neighborhood, kids would be all excited, but after 15 minutes they are ready to call it quits due to the sun…

    Hope you have a wonderful weekend! It’s been mild in the evening, I am looking forward to sitting outside, a glass of wine and a light dinner while people watch!

    1. Hi, Jeno. Thank you very much for such a huge compliment! I’m sure they would turn their nose at fresh cheese/quark in every fancy restaurant 😉 In most European countries May is the beginning of the strawberry season, but unfortunately they come still from greenhouses and only the early varieties are available now (very aromatic but rather sour and not much taste). I’m always waiting for June and July when good strawberries are available.
      I envy you so much the sun and the warm weather! This year we have had the worst spring I remember here… It’s cold, rainy, windy and today it was awful too. Not a good weather for sweet fruits either… You have just made me crave for a glass of wine! This is welcome whatever the weather 😉 Have a lovely weekend.

      1. Sorry to hear about the weather, I think Texans do get spoiled with the amount of sun we receive, though when Summer comes around, it’s almost impossible to be outside for more than 10 minutes without melting into a puddle… Go have that glass of wine, it’s quite romantic in the rain!

  4. This is a lovely dessert, Sissi, and I agree, perfect for this time of year. I will give this a try when my gluten free girlfriend comes to brunch in a few weeks. Raspberries would also be nice (strained so the seeds don’t mess it up).

    1. Thank you so much, Eva. I make cold cheesecakes sometimes with raspberries, but adding whole fruits because as you say the seeds are not very pleasant (and I’m probably too lazy to strain…).

    2. Noooo – half of the fun is picking the seeds out from your teeth afterwards and trying to perch the seed on top of your bottom teeth and clamp down on it with your top teeth to break it in half without it sliding away somewhere into the recesses of your mouth… I tell you, it’s like splitting atoms!

      1. That’s hilarious, Charles!!
        (I think this crazy period for bankers has finally got to him, Sissi) 😀

  5. Beautiful dessert Sissi – as Jeno says, it really looks very professional, and I love that it’s a good size too. A chocolate mousse from a steak restaurant I go to sometimes comes in something the same size as what would be used by children to make sand-castles on the beach!!

    1. Thank you so much, Charles. Such a light dessert could be served in even bigger glasses.

  6. Gosh, that looks absolutely delicious, Sissi. I’m game for cheesecake in any form. It used to be just no-bake ones But recently added the baked one after discovering Charles’s recipe.
    This saves a step for me without the crust. Beautiful idea!

    1. Thank you so much, Ping. I have never liked crusty cheesecake, so it’s not even out of laziness.

  7. I don’t think quark is available where I am, but I will look around. Hope I find it quickly as my strawberries should be ripening soon.
    Is there another substitute beside cream cheese?

    1. Hi, Norma. I’m sorry to hear that. I though fresh cheese/quark was available in the US. I could advise you mixing ricotta to a smooth paste. It certainly will work from the texture point of view, but since I have never combined it with strawberries, I cannot guarantee the taste (although ricotta-based cheesecakes are quite popular from what I observe on blogs). On the other hand, I never use cream cheese in cakes either. (I have mentioned it here because the consistency is similar and many bloggers are big fans of cream cheese).

  8. Dear Sissi,

    I like cheesecakes especially with the hard shortbread crust at the bottom so this is a little different from what I have tried before although I might be tempted to imagine this being a strawberry and cheese mousse while having it 🙂

  9. The title of this dish got my attention right away Sissi. I’m always looking for light, refreshing desserts that can be made on short notice during the summer months. This looks like a prime candidate! I think I have everything in to make this tomorrow night. It’s a long weekend here in Canada, so we’re enjoying the great weather out in our backyard. I spent most of yesterday gardening. Hope you are having a great weekend too!

    1. Thank you so much, Barb. I must confess I’m the only one who eats this in my house, so if it was too long or too complicated I wouldn’t bother… I hope you can prepare it. It’s really perfect for warm sunny days. Have a lovely long weekend.

  14. Sissi, this is such a lovely cheesecake. I think these are one of the best dinner party desserts as they can be put together with minimal effort and deliver on all levels!

    1. Thank you, Gourmantine. I totally agree, although sadly not everyone I know likes cheesecakes…

  17. A very pretty and tasty dessert but I have trouble thinking of it as a cheesecake, even an unbaked one. I’d be more comfortable referring to it as a strawberry mousse. 🙂

    1. Thank you, A_Boleyn. I suppose if it was made with cream cheese it would be less “moussy”, heavier and fatter, but all the unbaked cheesecakes based on fresh cheese are like this, i.e. close to a mousse and light.

      1. I’ve never used fresh cheese in this way so I must compliment you for expanding my field of knowledge. 🙂 It does seem like it would be light and flavourful and the use of seasonal fresh strawberries (or raspberries) adds a healthy note.

        I made vanilla flan yesterday … whipping cream and eggs yolks. Not light at all but quite flavourful as well.

        1. Thank you so much for such a compliment! I am a huge fan of fresh cheese in both baked and unbaked cheesecakes and I hope you can experiment it one day too. It is definitely lighter and I love guiltless sweet treats 🙂 (cream cheese wouldn’t be so guiltless…).
          I love vanilla desserts! I hope you have posted it already. I’m hopping to see your achievement!

    1. Thank you, Sonia. Neither does my family (I mean cheesecakes), but I cannot imagine cooking only for others.

  20. I can see it’s strawberry season. we used to have strawberry field in austria before (in my near) where on could go there and pick fresh berries and pay per kg (those eaten once were not counted). that doesnt exist anymore, guesse kids ate all strawberries…

    anyway… Love your lil creation, I d say its perfect to serve it to guests after a heavy bbq. thanks for the idea Sissi! =)

    1. Thank you so much, Helene. Such “pick-ypur-own-fruit” fields exist here in Switzerland, but all those I know are expensive, so it spoils the whole fun a bit…

  21. Your cheesecakes are always so light! I’d definitely be trying this one since this is a no-bake one. I loved the way you have prepared this. Looks great!

  22. Hi Sissi! I’ve been meaning to email you to catch up but every time your post is up I realize I haven’t written! Don’t be surprised next one is up and I haven’t written you yet… =P Very nice dessert for spring (almost or already summer here) weather. I remember this quark cheese you talked about last time and I haven’t had a chance to look and try. From the picture the cheesecake looks very light and delicious. It’s a nice dessert after a meal not feeling too much. I love the dessert that cleanse and feel refresh even after eating dessert (you know what I mean?). Not feeling heavy and guilty and still feeling nice that you also had dessert. 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Nami. You should experiment with quark/fresh cheese one day. It’s so easy to make a cheesecake with it and it’s so much lighter than the cream cheese one… This is exactly the palate refreshing dessert! I understand exactly what you mean. You don’t feel heavy afterwards at all. (Neither guilty).

  24. Sissi…that is a beautiful and delicious dessert ! Refreshing and using fresh cheese ! It’s a pity I can’t get the fresh cheese here 🙁 Thank you for sharing the recipe. Will try this out since it is strawberries season and we have lots of imported ones at the supermarket 🙂 Have a nice day,
    Regards,
    Elin

    1. Thank you so much, Elin. I’m sorry you cannot get the fresh cheese… You can experiment with some other dairy products (although I haven’t tried with anything apart from fresh cheese).

  25. hehe not agar this time? I’m going to visit my friend at her fruit farm Chegworth Valley in 2 hours’ time, and apparently, get my first picks of the strawberries! Can’t wait! I might put this recipe to the test if all goes well (:

    1. Hi, Shu Han. I have always prepared unbaked cheesecake with gelatin, so it’s an easy option. I will try however one day with agar agar, but I’m sure the texture will be slightly different. Good luck with the test!

  26. Oh my goodness, look at what deliciousness I missed while we were away!! Sissi, this looks absolutely beautiful and I definitely think you’re on to something with your quark 🙂 and how wonderful to have the no cook option this time of year…yay, for fresh strawberries! Loving this one…

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. I think quark-based unbaked desserts are my favourite healthy, but still sweet treats.

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